My Most Precious One (30 page)

I Belong To You

It was October 31
st
, the day seriously snuck up on me. I was busy running around, trying my hardest to get everything together. Thank god for Roxi and her sister. They once owned a party planning company and I was all to welcoming when they offered their help.

“Is Kaci coming?” Roxi asked knowing we weren’t on good terms right now.

“I’m hoping.” I said nervously, my stomach had gotten the better of me and I spent the better part of the day trying to ease the pain.

“She better fucken come or else I’m going to find the bitch and drag her by the hair so she can see your place.” Roxi threatened as she wiped down the dark wooden tables.

The place looked amazing. Dark wood was everywhere except for the booths that were made of hard red leather. The lighting was dim as three huge chandeliers made up of wine glasses hung, accenting the space around, the insanely beautiful bar, which was lined with supple dark brown leather stools. All I served was wine and some finger foods that accompanied the wine you ordered. I had a live dj that played a beautiful mix of jazz and heavy beats. The bar was a dream come true. I ignored Roxi and her sister most of the day, only because I knew they had everything handled. I focused on getting ready for the first night of a long awaited dream that I wanted, but never had the guts to do.

It was opening time and I was completely frazzled. Roxi sat me down and poured me a glass of wine.

“Drink it and relax. You got this Lexi. This is your world. The moment anyone walks in here, they’re walking into your world.” She pushed the glass to me and I literally gulped it down.

“Ok, I thought you’re supposed to enjoy it, not chug it.” She grimaced.

“Shut up!” I said nervously. She poured me another. By the second glass I was ready.

Slowly, slowly, everyone I had invited had started to come in. A nice slow soft opening, for only my family and friends. I smiled the moment I saw Gavin and his wife. I had missed him and was glad that he could make it.

“It’s a great place Lexi.” His thick Scottish accent made my belly turn. An accent is always a sexy feature. The music kicked in and the wine flowed. I smiled looking on happily, watching everyone enjoy their night.

My waiters and waitress were well informed on the bottles of wine we had and what they were about. I made sure. Each and every one of them had to pass a test.

I laughed when I saw my mother and father having a good time with their friends, who congratulated them on my store. I was looking at them not noticing where I was going, when I bummed into someone.

“Sorry.” I smiled as I looked around to see who it was.

My heart skipped a beat when my eyes fell upon the most beautiful and comforting face I had ever seen. Lukas had come. He smiled gently mostly like he was testing the waters to see if it was ok that he was here. I smiled back assuring him it was.

“Hi.” I said meekly.

“Hello Alexia.” My name rolled off his tongue like a song he had sung. The world around us had stopped, the music slowed and only Lukas and I existed.

“Thank you for coming.” I said softly.

“You’re welcome.”

“SPEECH!” I heard Roxi’s voice through the speakers. I looked to see where she was, she waved me down, telling me to come over.

“I better go.” I murmured and he nodded.

Roxi pulled me up onto the bar and handed me the microphone. I cleared my throat and looked up. I don’t know why my eyes found Lukas, but there they stayed as I started my speech.

“I’m not very good at speeches.” I swallowed hard. “So please don’t judge me too harshly.” I picked up a glass of red wine that my bartender had prepared for me. “Most of you know that I had a dream of becoming an archaeologist. I remember saying it since I was young and could hardly even say the word. I studied hard and went to school thinking the end goal was near. Only to realize that time slipped away and I no longer could achieve that dream I so thought was made for me. I stand here before you to tell you that dreams don’t always come true, but sometimes we stumble on ones we never thought of. That’s what happened to me and so here I am finally finding what was really meant for me. Thank you so much for coming, enjoy the wine, because after today it won’t be free anymore. A girl’s got to pay her bills.”

I raised my glass, everyone laughed and clapped. I felt tears as I continued to look onto Lukas. Another dream dashed.

I found my way back down and went to my office to compose myself. Damn, I wasn’t prepared to see him. I thought I was ready, but I wasn’t. I slowly made my way to my desk and sat down on my chair. I could hear all the commotion outside, but I needed more time. I picked up the small remote control to the sound system I had installed and pressed play. Lenny Kravitz’s voice began to croon as his song I Belong To You played.

Once the song ended, I found my resolve and stepped outside. I walked up to one of the waitresses and asked her to bring me a specific wine I wanted. I saw Lukas in the corner with Kaci, I guess she did come. I was happy to see her, despite our fights. I knew we loved each other beyond measure. She thought only of me and was the only one who always told me when I acted like an ass. I walked over to them and Kaci nearly fell over.

“I’m so fucken happy for you.” She said smiling, “It’s so you.” She shook her head as she looked around.

“Thank you.” I said as I pulled her into a hug. Audrey had come up to me and told me that my table was ready. I nodded and I guess Kaci got the clue.

“I think I heard Roxi call me.” She said as she pointed to where Roxi was.

“Really?” Lukas asked. “Her voice carries. I highly doubt she called you.” He smirked, and my heart winched.

“Fuck off Lukas.” Kaci play smacked him on the arm and left. I felt a twinge of jealous, but let it go just as quickly.

“I have a table ready if you don’t mind joining me?” I asked anxiously.

“Of course.” He smiled again.

I made my way to the back of the bar to a more private booth. On the way there, my parents nodded their heads to Lukas and he nodded back, I guess the awkwardness wasn’t just on my part. We finally made it and I sat down across from him, making sure that I was a good distance away. Audrey brought over the bottle of wine I had asked for with some cheeses and a charcuterie platter. She presented the wine like I had taught her.

“This is a Romanée-Conti, one of our most expensive wines. It’s a Pinot Noir. It has a strong bouquet of flowers mixed with scent of cherry. An example of the truest kinds of wine ever made.” She finished by showing Lukas and I the bottle. I nodded for her to open it.

She slowly uncorked it and began to pour only a little in my glass so that I could taste. I nodded signaling it was good. She then poured it into Lukas glass and then mine.

“Will you like anything else?” She asked.

“No Audrey, thank you.” I waited until she left so that I could look at Lukas, his eyes as blue as ever as he watched me carefully.

“I bought this wine with you in mind.” I admitted.

“It’s exactly you. Strong, powerful and fucken rich in flavour, not to mention the hefty price tag.” I laughed a little.

The heavy tension was almost unbearable. He picked up his glass and drank it. I watched as his swallowed it slowly enjoying the flavours. His neck was slightly exposed. I looked down not wanting to look like I was hungry for him.

“It’s good.” He put his glass down.

“I’m glad you like it.” I hardly had the will to look up, but I made myself. I finally found who I was and I wasn’t going to cower away again.

“It’s a beautiful bar, Alexia. I’m glad you found what you wanted.” He said softly. I could feel those fucken tears come, but I willed them to stay at bay.

“Thank you.” I reached for my glass and drank letting the rich flavours entice my palate. I slowly placed the glass down.

“I wanted to say sorry.” I said ruefully.

“You said you were sorry already.” He said in a serious tone.

“Yeah, but at least I wanted to say it to you face to face. You deserved that much.” I gave him a ghost of a smile.

“I’m sorry too.” He said humbly.

We both reached for a glass and finished it.

“I can’t stay much longer since it’s the opening.” I lied, but the space between us was too much for me to bare any longer. I waved down Audrey and told her to cork it.

“Wine spoils pretty quickly, so at least come once in a while to drink your bottle.” I whispered trying hard to keep it together. He nodded not saying one more word.

“Good bye Lukas.”

I stood up and walked away, leaving my heart and soul behind with him. I finally grasped that it was finally over between us.

It was January now and the bar was a hit, local foodies and wine aficionados came from all over the city to drink here. Not to mention all the rich ones too. I was even voted the top five places to come when visiting Montréal. I was happy with the success and even happier that I kept my head in the game. There was no way I was going to lose ground. I was only going to go up from here.

I sat in my office and looked at the calendar. It was one week until Lukas’ birthday. He was born on the 16
th
, a true Capricorn. I turned my head to see the bottle of whiskey that I had found. It was vintage and just up his alley. Lukas never came back after that day. I would drink a glass of wine from what I dubbed as ‘his bottle’. I guess it was a sad way of letting him go. With every glass I drank, I felt like Lukas was slipping away from me. There wasn’t much I could do, but let it happen.

I took the card I had picked for him and was about to sign it love Alexia, when I stopped. I held the pen and looked at the white background of the card, the blank space crying out to me. I finally signed it Alexia and sealed it. The FedEx guy came and picked it and off it went. I sat wondering if getting a gift from me would be awkward, but so much had happened between us that not sending one would seem wrong.

The 16
th
came and went and no word from Lukas. I shrugged it off knowing that I probably wouldn’t get a response from him. I sat at the bar and the last of his bottle was poured out. I watched it with such care, knowing once I finish this glass Lukas would no longer exist and I would be free of him, for good. DJ Wally’s remix of Nina Simone’s My Man Is Gone had begun to play, how poignant.

I slowly began to drink the wine when a gust of cold air came into the store. It was a true winter wonderland as the city was silenced by the large snow fall we had lately. I could see from outside my windows as the snow gently fell covering up the city with a fresh blanket of white untouched snow. The door must have opened, but it was before our opening hours.

“I’m sorry were closed.” I said bluntly.

“Even for me?” I turned to see Lukas standing at the door with a long wool coat. He took off his leather gloves and smiled at me.

“So I hear you’re the talk of the town? Can’t a rich guy like me buy a drink?” He smirked.

Your money is no good here.” I grinned. Damn you Lukas, just when I was going to let you go you had to walk into my god damn bar. I slipped off my stool and walked over to the other side of the bar.

“Come sit.” I pointed to the stool I was sitting on.

He moved over taking off his coat, he wore a perfect black suit with a crisp white shirt and a solid black tie. Fuck me.

“What’s your poison?” I asked looking away from him.

“You seem to know what I like, you choose.” I reached and found a nice scotch and poured it for him.

“Double scotch neat.” I breathed. He took his scotch glass and drank it all.

“You shouldn’t drink it that quickly Lukas.” I noted “Especially this scotch. It’s meant to be enjoyed.” He put his glass down and looked at me through his hooded eyes.

“Do you remember the first time we met?” He asked.

“Yes. Why?” I asked wondering where he was going with this.

“Why not?” He answered.

“I remember you in the little bistro. God, you were so fucken beautiful it nearly hurt my eyes to look at you.” He admitted. I laughed almost blushing.

“It hurt me not to look at you.” I confessed.

“It was good between us wasn’t it?” He asked in a serious tone.

“It was.” I breathed.

“Um I’m sorry Ms. Lexi?” My bartender Daniel came close and lowered his head in an apologetic way, whatever Lukas was trying to do was dashed the moment my employee appeared. Part of me was thankful.

“I need you to take this call. It’s the supplier something about not getting all the wines you ordered.” He reached out the phone and handed it to me.

“Sorry Lukas, I have to take this.” I took the phone and began to calmly yelling at the supplier telling him he better get my stuff in. I then hung up and shook my head.

“Daniel?” I cried out.

“Yes Ms. Lexi?” He replied.

“I don’t know what you have to do babe, but find me a new guy cause this one is beginning to be a pain in my ass and I don’t have time for his bullshit.”

I looked up to see Lukas peering down towards my direction. I nearly froze. My breath hitched and my mind went blank.

“Sure thing boss lady.” Daniel cried out.

“I got to… go.” I stammered, thumbing to my office. I didn’t bother waiting for Lukas’ reply.

I just left him alone in the bar.

I reached my office and closed the door behind me. I held onto the knob. What the fuck was that? I thought. A loud knock came and I answered thinking it was Daniel or Audrey, but it wasn’t, it was Lukas. He stood tall almost taller than my doorframe, his large body casting a shadow into my office. I moved aside and let him in.

“So this is your office?” He asked as he lowered his head slightly to walk in.

“Yes.” I swallowed hard.

He made his way to my desk where he spotted my picture of us. A strong grin came across his face as he reached for it and took it in his hands.

“I have the same one on my desk.” My heart stopped at that moment.

“I love this picture of you.” He remarked as he put it down and looked at me. The strong tension in the room was nearly excruciating.

God, when was the need for him going to stop? I tried in vain to let go of my feelings, even acted like he didn’t affect me, but here he was doing what he always was able to. My body only ever reacted to Lukas Blakk. My heart only came to life when he was around me.

“You looked pretty in control out there.” He grinned devilishly making my belly drop. Great! Thanks Lukas! He slowly walked around my office observing my area.

“It’s nice.” He noted, damn you Lukas with your icy blues and barely there but super sexy dimples.

“Thanks.” I nodded.

Another knock came at my door. Praise Jesus.

“Yes?” The door slowly opened.